1dayatatime
12-20-2004, 05:04 PM
Meth use 'huge burden' on society
Second in a series
By Chuck Morris
Staff Writer
The rise of methamphetime use is a destroyer of lives.
That's according to social workers, educators, law enforcement officers and judges, all who find themselves dealing with havoc wreaked by the illegal stimulant.
"Meth affects people from many walks of life," said DFCS Director LaResa Price. "Whether it is a doctor or a trash collector, there are a variety of people doing meth."
"We have a big problem with methamphetamine in this town and county," said Department of Family and Children Service's (DFCS) Child Protective Services Investigator Wes Yawn.
Yawn is among many who routinely see devastation brought on by the illegal drug. He knows all too well the drug's effect on society.
"Methamphetamine is taking parents away from their children," said Yawn. "Drugs account for, I would say, half of the cases we work. And the problem is growing.
"Some people become violent when they are on the drug," said Yawn. "The child could say something, anything, and the parents who are using meth would get angry. Sometimes to the point of beating the child.
"We have seen 9 year olds taking care of their siblings," he said. "We have even found children walking down the street at in the middle of the night because the parents are crashed at home.
"There have been children hurt trying to fend for themselves," said Yawn. "Whether they are trying to cook for themselves and they burn themselves on the oven or stove or they are trying to keep warm with a heater and burn themselves that way."
Meth not only destroys families, but is linked to a rise in not only domestic abuse, but other crimes as well.
"It ruins the lives of families, particularly the kids lives," said Upson County Sheriff Don Peacock. "I see it ruining families every day.
"Meth causes you to steal. It causes you to abuse your family," said Peacock. "It changes your whole outlook on life."
Meth doesn't only affect family life but it can affect school life as well.
"I noticed that there were problems with grades, self esteem, who they trust, sleeping in class, and they had trouble concentrating," said elementary school Principal Anne Wilkinson. "If someone tried to talk to them they became resilient and bounced back at them."
"If the parents are on drugs, it affects them in many ways," said Vicki Smith, coordinator for Safe and Drug Free Schools. "They can't verbalize. They don't understand what is going on with their parents. Their behavior is severely volatile."
"It's really hard on children in the elementary ages," said Smith.
"Odds are, we probably have some students who's parents are involved with methamphetamine," said Wilkinson. "But as of right now we don't know of any."
"When the parents are taking meth the kids are either arriving late to school or not coming at all," said Yawn.
"When the children react in negative ways at school it is because they are just doing what they see their parents doing," said Yawn. "These parents, or users, don't have any patience."
Second in a series
By Chuck Morris
Staff Writer
The rise of methamphetime use is a destroyer of lives.
That's according to social workers, educators, law enforcement officers and judges, all who find themselves dealing with havoc wreaked by the illegal stimulant.
"Meth affects people from many walks of life," said DFCS Director LaResa Price. "Whether it is a doctor or a trash collector, there are a variety of people doing meth."
"We have a big problem with methamphetamine in this town and county," said Department of Family and Children Service's (DFCS) Child Protective Services Investigator Wes Yawn.
Yawn is among many who routinely see devastation brought on by the illegal drug. He knows all too well the drug's effect on society.
"Methamphetamine is taking parents away from their children," said Yawn. "Drugs account for, I would say, half of the cases we work. And the problem is growing.
"Some people become violent when they are on the drug," said Yawn. "The child could say something, anything, and the parents who are using meth would get angry. Sometimes to the point of beating the child.
"We have seen 9 year olds taking care of their siblings," he said. "We have even found children walking down the street at in the middle of the night because the parents are crashed at home.
"There have been children hurt trying to fend for themselves," said Yawn. "Whether they are trying to cook for themselves and they burn themselves on the oven or stove or they are trying to keep warm with a heater and burn themselves that way."
Meth not only destroys families, but is linked to a rise in not only domestic abuse, but other crimes as well.
"It ruins the lives of families, particularly the kids lives," said Upson County Sheriff Don Peacock. "I see it ruining families every day.
"Meth causes you to steal. It causes you to abuse your family," said Peacock. "It changes your whole outlook on life."
Meth doesn't only affect family life but it can affect school life as well.
"I noticed that there were problems with grades, self esteem, who they trust, sleeping in class, and they had trouble concentrating," said elementary school Principal Anne Wilkinson. "If someone tried to talk to them they became resilient and bounced back at them."
"If the parents are on drugs, it affects them in many ways," said Vicki Smith, coordinator for Safe and Drug Free Schools. "They can't verbalize. They don't understand what is going on with their parents. Their behavior is severely volatile."
"It's really hard on children in the elementary ages," said Smith.
"Odds are, we probably have some students who's parents are involved with methamphetamine," said Wilkinson. "But as of right now we don't know of any."
"When the parents are taking meth the kids are either arriving late to school or not coming at all," said Yawn.
"When the children react in negative ways at school it is because they are just doing what they see their parents doing," said Yawn. "These parents, or users, don't have any patience."